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Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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with seafood, you should always expect a price.. but it depends on the quality..
i came here with my girlfriend, Stephanie.. who is a server here..
i ordered half calamari and half popcorn shrimp..
this was 11.99 definitely pricey.. i did enjoy the whole appetizer..
seriously, the appetizer filled me up completely.. the shrimp was actually big for "popcorn" and the calamari was fresh and mostly rings which was also nice..
service was nice.. very friendly..
i think i'd come back again for a nice date or something.
What happened?
Prime lunchtime and instead of a long wait the cavernous dining area was quite bare. Prices were raised and portions lower. Lunch entrees running $10-$15. This place must be hurting.
He ordered a Seafood Marinara and I ordered an Eggplant dish. Pasta was ok but the mussels were oddly cool to the touch. Eggplant a little bland but I knew I was ordering the token vegetarian dish in a seafood restaurant so I didn't expect much.
Both of us were surprised by the size of our plates. To the point where I measured it with the napkin and took it back to the office to lay it against a ruler. 9" plates with a 1" border all around it. Meaning that's a 7" diameter circle where food is actually placed.
That's the WIDTH of a piece of paper, minus an additional 1 1/2 inches.
Both of us were still hungry after, grabbing an additional snack elsewhere before heading back to the land of cubicles.
Downtown San Jose has undergone major development the past couple of years. There's the 4 towering luxury condominium complexes with floor-to-ceiling glass, the raised bar of restaurants following suit from Mortons to McCormicks, even famous chef Michael Mina giving his try at a new location here (mixed so far). Then the slow economy where everyone's slashing prices, getting mighty aggressive with Happy Hour specials, and somehow Hawg's got left behind.
It's rather unfortunate really as I have so many fond memories of it being a hotspot of group gatherings and power lunches.
What happened to this place? The food used to be good, but now, they've raised prices, lowered quality, decreased portions, and I'm guessing hired a new chef, because the food is now horrible.
Skip it. It's not worth it.
Better than expected. Now if I could've only remembered to ask for dressing on the side...
From the photos online, I thought it's be a hole-in-the-wall trying to be fancy and charge an arm and a leg. But it turned out to be a pretty nice place, spacious, and with a nice crowd. Service was good. We never had to ask for a refill of drinks or bread. Now the food...
Bad
- gorgonzola & pear salad
Okay
- banana creme brulee
Good
- Newhattan clam chowder
- linguine w/ clams
- chicken breast w/ prawns
Excellent
- banana gelato
The fourth star is mostly because of the excellent deal ordering off the DineDownTownSJ menu as they offered each 3-course meal for $20. Not sure if I'd come back at regular prices, maybe lunch with a coupon.
The Newhattan clam chowder was Ok. I had a caesar salad that was not good. Too much brown lettuce and the dressing was too gloppy and tangy. "You didn't order fish, how can you rate this place" you say? Everyone else ordered seafood of some sort and everything looked like amateur hour at the fish market. I can't see any reason to ever go back, so 2 stars. Why is it that so many of the places that start their lives in Campbell end up being less than good? I really want downtown San Jose to thrive but it never will when more often than not the places that open up there are second rate and subpar.
This review is for service and the cajun pasta. OMG. SO f*ng good. Service A+. Cajun Pasta, A+ with extra credit. My friend told me it'd be good. I believed her, but didn't know to what extent "good" was. This was so delicious. Creamy sauce, succulent scallops, perfectly cooked prawns. Loaded with parmesan cheese. I'm hungry again. damn.
Food was about up to par. I mean seafood in San Jose..I suppose that's as good as it gets. =P
Calamari was delicious. Not the greatest but pretty good. It's flavorful and crispy. Served with tartar & cocktail. ($12)
Clam chowder was tasty but a little too tangy for my taste. I got the mixed one with Manhattan & New England. A cup runs about $4.90.
Garlic Cheesy bread...Mmm! Completely delectable and mouth watering. So so so delicious! ($5?)
Baked Asiago Oysters. Small oysters but big in taste. Mmm! It's super cheesy. The cheesy is a bit overpowering but still delectable. ($13)
Caesar salad is mediocre.
Overall service & vibe of restaurant..4/5 stars. Great staff that's quick and friendly.
They validate parking as well.
crab sandwich, bread & salsa(?), and seafood pasta at a low cost for seafood joint.
I didn't like that the snobby hostess placed us in an awkward table towards the front of the restaurant. Lucky for us we ended up with a good waiter. He was quick and the bus'ers were on it.
We ordered the oyster shooters. For $2.25/per shooter it seems high but it's probably a going restaurant rate. I read the happy hour menu and they are about .75¢ cheaper.
We also had the Spinach Asiago oysters and those were ok but I probably wouldn't order those again.
I had the pear and gorgonzola salad. It seemed as though the salad was premade in the morning and sat around. The lettuce was not as fresh as my friends salad was, and the pears were a little mushy.
Next I had the scallops(someone put a picture up); they are pan seared with panko breading. The scallops were like candy melting in my mouth and cooked perfectly. It was one of the best scallop dishes I have ever had. The risotto that accompanied it however was not so good. It was a little over cooked and way too many tomatoes in it.
My friend ordered the salmon and it came with fresh string beans and potato pancakes. The potato pancakes were awesome! The beans were cooked perfectly but the she said the salmon was nothing she would order there again. It was bland and a little over cooked. She thought that it was reheated instead of being cooked to order.
I will try it again, however it's not at the top of the list.
Went there today for a business lunch with minimal expectations because it had been rather dismal last time. But today was good. Everyone's dishes seemed competently prepared and interesting--not just basic seafood. Service was attentive, though amateurish, but in a charming way. A bit pricey perhaps, but not painfully so. Non-existent atmosphere. By San Jose standards, not bad at all. Check it out if you need a place for a downtown SJ lunch.
I got the garlic shrimp pasta and it wasn't that great.... and I waited forever for the bill when it wasn't even busy O_O
The service here was the best part of my meal. I paid $13 for a baby shrimp sandwich and fries expecting something with a bit of flavor. The shimp was previously frozen and flavorless. The lettuce on the sandwich was iceburg...need I say more? The fries were also previously frozen and needed ketchup to be edible. I was sadly disappointed as I expected a Seafood Bar to actually care about the seafood! Oh well.
The food is OK. Presentation is quite nice, menu is extensive, but the taste... eh. Prices are a little higher than you would expect for the quality of food, but I guess it's because it's in downtown SJ. All dinner entrees range from $13-$30, except maybe a salad and soup or something like that.
One thing that makes this place great is that it was able to seat 15 of us within fifteen minutes on a Saturday night. Then again, that should tell us how great the restaurant really is.
AWESOME CLAM CHOWDER! My boyfriend and I wandered over here after deciding not to go to the Clam Chowder cook-off in Santa Cruz due to the rainy weather. I'm actually glad that we didn't go! I'd say Hawgs has the best clam chowder in the Bay Area and beats all the other popular chowder spots -- Boudin's, Ivar's, and the Fish Market (if you're into the Manhattan chowder).
The interesting thing about Hawg's is that their clam chowder is actually a combination of the red and white chowder, which gives it that distinct taste! SO YUMMY. We also tried their ceviche, which was pretty good as well. Decent portions of fish and shrimp that come with fresh out of the oven chips.
If you're planning on ordering wine, beware the waiters who barely give you anything to sip on. My glass of wine was only 1/3 of the way full, and I was planning on asking my waiter if he was serious, until I saw another waitress bringing a barely filled glass of wine to another table as well. C'mon now! At least fill up the glass 1/2 way!
Overall, for the delicious chowder and pleasant dining experience, I give Hawg's 3 stars!
I really wanted to like this place. Really. Alas, it was not to be. We were already in the area for the jazz festival, so we stopped in for a bite between shows. The place was reasonably crowded, but not packed. We split a bowl of clam chowder. It was a creamy mahattan. Never seen anything like it, but pretty tasty - best part of the entire meal. I had the paella. It was ok, but definitely no where near the best I've had. Way under-seasoned. Husband had the salmon, which he called "dry...cafeteria-level...like Ikea, but not as good." Enough said.
This is not a real seafood restaurant. It is an Americanized version of
seafood. So if you like American style you might also like Kyoto Palace.
If you are a real seafood person that likes real fish then don't eat
here. The Halibut was fresh, but cooked in an American style with mash potatoes. Service was OK. If you go there order the oysters. They
were the best on the menu.
My daughter and I came here to celebrate her 6th birthday. Her favorite thing in the world is shrimp. She loves shrimp. Mostly the breaded and deep fried variety. As luck would have it, that was the first item on the children's menu, prawns and french fries. I had a harder time trying to figure out what I wanted. Everything sounded good. Finally I opted for the Garlic Shrimp and Linguini. I also had a cup of the Newhatten Clam Chowder. No, that is not a typo....it is Newhatten Clam Chowder. It's a creamy tomato based clame chowder and it was excellent!! I should have ordered a VAT!!!! I loved my shrimp and pasta dish too....it was nicely done and the pasta was al dente. Delish!
Our server was fast and attentive and always asked my daughter if she needed anything. That was nice. I enjoyed the saucer of bruschetta like tomatoes they brought with the bread. It was different and flavorful.
We chose not to have dessert since my daughter had a Target gift card that was burning a hole in her pocket. She was dying to go shopping!!
This was my first visit to Hawg's and you will be I will be back for a big bowl of that chowder!!! YUM!!!!
This place really rips you on the appetizers and the salads.
At Hawgs there are two sized salads a half and a full
I got the half sized Fresh crab louie salad. in the menu it said it came with mixed greens, onions, tomatoeS, and cucumberS. $11.99
I got 2 slivers of a cucumber the same size as the 1 wedge of tomatoe on the plate
The "half" size salad is smaller than many restaurants $3 or $4 side salads that you add on to the meal IF NOT the same size.. (this is not fine dining mind you)
I added prawns to the salad. which was an additional $7 for 4 pieces of regular sized shrimp they shouldn't even be called prawns.
This was a huge letdown for me. All in all, I paid $20.56 for a SMALL-ASS disgrace of a salad and left hungrier than a mutherrrr..
BUT I may actually come back to try their oysters and pastas. Just not anytime this year...
Yelpers do you have any seafood restaurants to recommend to me?
The dishes here are pricey, but good. I ordered the special of mahi mahi with a mango salsa and it was great. Our waiter was really helpful too. This is a fun dinner date after an afternoon at Music in the Park.
Still pretty good but they raised their prices a bit and the value factor went down. Considering you can eat at Scott's or McCormick and Schmick's for a very similar price now at a restaurant with a bit more cachet, that can't have been too great a decision. But who knows, I certainly don't run a restaurant. For that reason I'm going to have to rate it realistically, moving it out of my much-revered 5 star club. Just wait for this to hit the blogs. Shock of the year, I tell you.
I guess I may have an obligation to give this place a decent rating on account of the fact that my… Read more »
If it wasn't for the company I was with, I wouldn't have enjoyed eating here. I wasn't too thrilled about the fishy stench but hey its a seafood restaurant right?! And no wait for a party of 8 is good in my books.
I ordered the Hawg's salad with crab- I'm not sure if they give you an option for dressing but mines was already tossed with a vinegarette. Now the crab was good but the salad was gross. Most of my romaine lettuce were the ends which I'm not fond of and the tomatoes that came with it weren't crunchy but soggy. The cucumbers on the side tasted like cucumber skin too :( not to mention the dressing was super sour!
I think the worst soup I've ever had was the clam chowder. Who the hell mixes red and white together?! Gross. It tasted like thousand island dressing.
The redeming factor was our awesome waitress Stephanie and the bus boys. Yum-o to the bruschetta and sourdough bread. Oh yeah, the dessert, the double fudge choch cake with vanilla gelato is amazing!! But it'll set you back $9 for a sliver, go figure.
I tried a bite of the paella and it was good. Maybe I'll order that if I ever do go back...
Went to Hawg's for our Girls dinner..I was not expecting much therefore I was NOT disappointed. We ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell to start..delicious and very fresh! Most of the girls ordered a seafood pasta of some sort and the portions were plenty and they were generous on the seafood. My linguini & clams in white wine sauce was okay, a little bland for my taste (but then I'm used to a lot of flavor in my food).
Service was good and attentive enough.
A few days later, still thinking about the fresh oysters..I returned for their Happy Hour where the oysters are just $1.25! I had no restraint then and the oysters were delicious and fresh as ever. Most items on the happy hour menu was in the $10 range, which is fair considering it was all seafood. I did order the crab sandwich that everyone was raving about and DID NOT think it was worth it all! $15 for a bland plain tasting sandwich? No thanks, I'll put my money on the oysters anyday.
Moral of the story is, come here for happy hour and knock yourself out on the oysters and beer.
I really liked everything that I had here. We started off with oysters on a half shell and oyster shooters. We asked them to make the oyster shooters with a bloody mary mix (including alcohol of course). The oysters were fresh. Everyone at the table ordered the Dungeness Crab Sandwich and I ordered the Dungeness Crab & Prawn Pasta. My dish was creamy and full of crab!! I hate it when restaurants skimp on crab or use imitation crab. I would order this again. The Dungeness Crab Sandwich looked and smelled so good. Everyone enjoyed their food.
I have to come back to try their desserts, they look delish!
I've been here a few times. Honestly the food portions weren't huge. I remember eating the cajun pasta and liking it the first time, then the second time it just wasn't as good. Same goes with the seared scallops and the fried calamari. Consistency is not something Hawg's maintain.
What I do like is the bruschetta they give every table when you sit down. Unfortunately, the bread is extremely stale.
The one thing I love to come here for is the oyster shooters at happy hour. They are so tasty and spicy, i love it. Aside from the happy hour oyster shooters, i would not reccomend this place , it is very overpriced.
Before the musical Hair I decided to have dinner at Hawgs Seafood Bar. Since I got there before 5:30pm I got to eat at their Happy Hr for $1 oysters. The Happy Hrs are Tues-Fri 3p-5:30p.
I ate at the bar which was nice to see the cook making some of the food in front of me.
I got:
FREE bread - 3 slices of bread served cold w/ some packaged butter or chopped up tomatoes. Average tasting bread, nice tomatoes w/ cilantro I think.
6 oysters at $1 ea (Happy Hr price) = $6. They were Blue Point Oysters. Comes w/ a slice of lemon, fresh horseradish, & cocktail sauce. I just had them w/ some lemon & tiny bit of the horseradish. Was fine, nothing special.
Cup of their Newhattan clam chowder $3.95. It's really served in a mug. I had to ask for crackers & they were stale tasting. Blech. The chowder was pretty tasty though.
Got a half order of the Gorgonzola/Pear Salad $5- it was fine. 3 honey walnut, some diced pears & some cheese & carrots in a vinaigrette sauce.
My total $14.95 + $1.23 tax =$16.18 before tip.
Separate bathrooms in the back. They have a banquet room in the back too.
Next to the SJ Rep Theater.
I got the Dungeness Crab Sandwich and it was pretty good. They actually give you a lot of crab but considering the price, they should be giving you that amount. The clam chowder was okay but tasted a hell of a lot better with a heavy dousing of Tabasco.
I felt somewhat cramped at the table we were seated at, although the restaurant isn't that small. The way some of the tables are set up, you are practically on top of the party next to you--a manager was leaning down talking to a diner he knew at the table next to us and his butt was in my face the whole time I was trying to enjoy my clam chowder.
I spent about $80 on dinner for two here and did not feel I got my money's worth. I'd eat here again though... if someone else was paying.
I LOVE this place and only go here for one dish: the steamed clams in white wine! Seriously- you don't need to know anything else but the yummy, juicy, tender, pink, clammy goodness.... mmm. Oh yeah... so wrong, but so right!
The steamed clams come in this exquisite, drool inducing garlicky, buttery, white wine broth and it's topped with fried leeks. They give you a GINORMOUS bowl of this stuff, and it's all I can do to keep myself from bathing in it, blessing myself with the holiness of the broth, or dumping it all over my body.
And since it's such a huge portion that most people share, you'd think I'd be unable to finish it. But you are soooo wrong... when I've had my way with those clams, there's not one little sucker left. We're talking going straight from swimming in the bowl to swimming in MAH TUMMY!
curiousity got the best of me. i usually park a lot adjacent to this place.
the bone i have to pick with this place is that it's expensive for what it is. the food surpasses the "edible" mark, but it's not anything special.
This place was ho hum!
We took my MIL here after we picked her up from the airport and wanted to try a new place that we saw on Yelp. We thought "COOL" a restaurant right smack dab in the middle of SJ...it MUST be good. We show up and were less then impressed. At first we thought we were in the wrong place! The decor and ambiance is cheezy with cheap table settings and poorly hung lights. The lights sort of remind me of those Christmas lights that your white trash neighbors always seem to keep up the whole entire year.
We were seated right away by a very friendly hostess and waitress. We got our waters quickly and were filled all the time and that was nice. I have to say the Customer Service was the best part of this place and I would give them 5 stars for that.
The menu was really minimal and we were kind of surprised at how small the selection was. Nothing grabbed us so we just sort of picked what we thought sounded okay.
The thing that struck me as odd was the bruschetta topping that they gave to us for the bread. It was very tasty but not really an appetizer I would imagine being served at a seafood place. Its more likely to be found in a little quant Italian restaurant so it kind of stuck out to me as out of place.
I ordered the garlic prawns with pasta which was the best meal we got. My husband and MIL had food envy and were continually stealing food off my place until I finally gave in and gave them the rest. The prawns were quite large and tasty but a bit overcooked. The pasta was typical but the sauce was really good. Very heavy and a tad bit salty but really good. The bread was perfect for dipping it in.
My husband had the Paella Valenciana which was the worst part of the meal. We have been to Spain and know what Paella is and this was not Paella. Needless to say he was not a happy camper but I am a nice wife and shared my dinner with him.
My MIL got the fish and chips which was decent but overpriced for what she got. They gave her a heaping plate of fries and 3 pieces of decent size fish. They were juicy and pretty good.
The reason I give them 3 stars instead of 2 is because the service is incredible. Our waitress noticed that the Paella was barely eaten and off to the side. She asked what we thought and when we said it was only okay...she graciously asked if she could replace it with something else. We thought that was VERY nice and not something most restaurants do. Most just ignore what they see so they can save a buck or two but that really impressed us. So extra points to the rockin' waitress who actually cares about her customers! Of course we didn't take her on her offer and took the paella home and "accidently" left it at the MILs home, hoping she will eat it for us.
Other then that...this place compares to a chain restaurant like Red Lobster or Fish Market. Its nothing special and not a place we plan to go to again.
I came here with a friend and we really enjoyed our food. This is a great seafood place for San Jose! I really like the tuna tar tar here! I ordered the ciopinno which was delicious and my friend ordered the linguini with cream sauce and prawns. The place is cute, and I like how its all windows and its centered in down town so you can actually see whats going on outside. The food selection here is much bigger then the other location they have in camobell. I would recommend this place!
Okay, so I went here on a date. And although I gave it three stars, i know my rating probably isn't fair, primarily because I was really into my date....which means I can't (and don't) eat!! Hahaha!!
Needless to say, I had the vegetarian eggplant/mushroom plate. It was quite tasty, but I didn't really eat that much. My only comment is that it was doused too much in the tomato based sauce. I felt like my food was floating in that stuff.
I definitely have to come back here and give it a real chance. Maybe sometime soon, I could use a night out....
This is my favorite seafood place in San Jose. I love this waitress there. Unfortunately, I don't know her name. She makes the dining experience much better. I love their pasta dishes, and my favorite are the oysters on the half shell. *yum* :) OH, if you're in for a treat and are willing to spend a little more cash get the ciopinno. You'll even get a little bib. hehehe
They validate for parking, and seating is usually done very efficiently.
One little sidenote: Their clam chowder is a light orange. Its a little different from other clam chowders I've had (In a good way). It tastes very homemade which I like. None of that store bought canned stuff. It's very unique.
It's been a long time since I'd been to Hawg's, so I thought I'd swing on by and see if the place had come up in the world - it's exactly the kind of place I *want* to be good - a decent seafood joint that knows there's more to a fillet than frying it.
Sadly, looks like it's still not quite there. I had
1) Ceasar's salad - soggy, like it was made a couple hours ago. Sorry guys, toss it just before serving. This isn't rocket science, it's salad.
2) Seared Scallops. Well seared, served with mashed potatoes and asparagus, and some kind of citrusey sauce. But almost cold when served. I mean, who serves cold seared scallops?
3) Tirimisu. Divine, and worth a trip by itself. Which is good, since the other parts of the meal were disappointing.
And for all this, $30. Ouch. If it had been just a touch cheaper, I could have seen a third star, but for this price, I expect more than just adequate.
It's too bad - I'd really love a place like this to be good.
I really like this place. Their seafood is absolutely divine. I really recommend everyone try the Cajun Shrimp pasta, which is pretty much creamy seafood perfection on a plate. The other pastas I've tried are also pretty good. Just keep in mind, that just because it's seafood, that doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. Their food is very rich, but delicious. I have yet to try their clams but their fish dishes here are are great. Free bruchetta? Extra points!
This place is perfect for lunches, but dinner is a little bit expensive. The restaurant itself is very cool. All glass windows surrounding the whole place, modern furniture, and for some reason a pig under the sea theme. I really like it though.
Ok, short & sweet...No matter what anyone else says it's all about oysters & martini's, need I say more.
Fresh, Fresh, Fresh...a place we frequent often.
We have been here 8+ times now, in the 8 months since we discovered it. Pricey, but WELL worth it if you need a consistent, good quality, fish-centric meal.
Went here when my parents were in town- Dad paid- thanks Dad!
Went here last night with the in-laws....$140 for 4 people-Dad-in-law Paid-thanks Dad #2! .
Try the asiago oysters (spinach, asiago, comes out piping hot, throw a little lemon juice on...hmmm). Also they use REAL, FRESHLY grated horseradish for their raw oysters- can't beat it, it's creamy and spicy and delicious-quality is evident in many dishes here.
I also order the Cajun pasta ALMOST ever time I come here- terrific!! I can't get enough of it. The Cioppino (sp?) is also excellent. I've also had the scallops, and the shrimp and garlic pasta, both of which did not disappoint.
Regarding price- It's a good value, we always have leftovers for two lunches the next day.
The downside: Martinis are a bit overpriced for the quality of liquor they offer, and the beer selection is uninspired. There is, however, a good selection of wines that complement the dishes well, so go that route and you can't lose.
Service: There is one lady there who gives the BEST service we have had in SJ so far, I can't remember her name but she's small with dark hair and really kind. She always makes us feel welcome.
Ambiance: My favorite place in town so far, we can come in jeans and be comfortable, no pretension here- or last night we dressed in heels and ties, and also felt comfortable.
The manager Scott is nice and personable, and remembered us from last time. He gave the local animal charity I volunteer for a gift certificate for our auction, so he's a winner in my book.
Busy place, we never fail to make a resy as the wait time can get long, particularly once the Rep lets out. Closed on Mondays.
05/23/07- Revision- went here last night had a Lemon Drop martini- YUM, I recommend them. The Garlicky bread was a little greasy but good if you can get past that . My husband got the australian lobster, he said it was ok. The mashed potatoes were the best part of his meal, they were just like mom's with tons of dairy in there and whipped up nicely....
714/07- Back again! This time for a light dinner: an order of clams (with fried leeks on top) and some more of that cheesey garlic bread - plus topped it off with creme brulee for a full dairy meal!!! We sat at the bar and Scott served us- with wine, beers, tip it was ~$60, a reasonable amount for what we both considered an EXCELLENT meal. I wish I had room for the Cajun pasta, next time....and we will be back I'm sure!!
I would just like to say that the Cheesy Garlic Bread is the best thing I've ever put into my mouth.
But now, on to the review!
Hawgs is great but can be a bit confusing for first-timers. Yes, there's the biker-bar-esque name, but this place is fine-dining without the pomp!
People who are expecting a hushed dining room with linen and candles are in for a surprise. Hawgs presents a very casual dining experience, free of pretentiousness and snootyness. It's noisy, crowded, and if it's busy, there may be a bit of a wait. (Reservations highly recommended.)
Andrew N. noted that he did not like fried seafood. Duly noted, sir. Why not try items that were not fried? Pasta? Salads? Paella? Cioppino?
Food is a bit pricey (to some; this -is- good seafood here!), but you get huge portions.
PROS
. Right by Camera 12 and bars.
. Excellent food.
. Big portions.
. Casual
. Free bruschetta with your bread.
CONS
. Busy/Crowded
. Noisy
. Seafood quesadillas are woefully small.
RECOMMENDED DISHES
. Lobster and Prawns Pasta
. Sashimi Ahi
. Tartar (best sesame soy sauce I've EVER ever had)
. Hawgs' Prawns (fried goodness)
. Linguine and Clams (mmm)
. Panko Crusted Chicken (for people who don't like seafood, you weirdos)
NOTE: It's called bruschetta. Not salsa. Not sauce. Not tomato stuff. Jeebus, people.
Not quite 4 stars but close enough. Nice clean seafood spot in the middle of downtown San Jose. Lots of exposed concrete and tile give this place a casual and "hard" look. The food is well executed and the service was friendly enough. A little pricey but in range with what you got, I definitely did not feel ripped off. Items we tried:
Gorgonzola/pear salad: Very nice version with poached pears. We added crab meat, and even though the crab was good, the salad definitely didn't need it. It was great as is. 2 sizes for the salads which is a plus.
Clam Chowder: They do one style and it's their "New-Hattan" version. A cross between creamy New England and tomato-y Manhattan. It's cream of tomato with clams. Not bad, it needed to get spiced up a bit, and then I used it as a dip for my bread. Not bad indeed.
Raw Oysters: Nice and clean, but they only offer one type (Blue Points). Being so close to the cold northern California coast where they farm some of worlds finest oysters, I was a little disappointed/surprised that they didn't offer the local delicacies. A shot of Tabasco and fresh lemon juice however and it was all good.
Garlic Cheese Bread: Gooey and cheesy. Really good item to share especially if you are having soup and/or salads.
One of us ordered a bloody mary and it was a pretty good rendition, in that it wasn't too thick but carried a nice kick. The rest of us ordered wine and beer and this is where it can definitely get pricey here. But like I said, not to the point where it affected my experience. I would most certainly come back.
Following a movie at the camera 12 we stopped at Hawgs for a light bite. The place was practically empty on a Sunday night. We had the calamari, salads and chowder. Everything was bland. The chowder overly herby. The best thing was my single crouton on my Caesar salad. Over priced.
Problems.
I've had a couple bad experiences here. One time I sat with a date for like 20 minutes before getting any service. I felt like sending smoke signals or getting a megaphone and yelling EXCUSE ME! So finally the manager comes up and tells us it's the server's first night. I was obviously pissed, but not rude. A free drink? Appetizer? Something to stop my blood from boiling? Nope. Not a good feeling to have on a date, especially when I'm the one paying.
The best thing about this place is the calamari. They make some mean martinis as well. Other than that, I've had some fish that was overcooked. I mean really, you can't even cook fish at a seafood place? The pasta here is a joke as well...it's more like noodle soup. The best food may actually be the meat--irony.
Campbell, CA
Category: Seafood
San Jose, CA
Category: Seafood
San Jose, CA
Category: Seafood
San Jose, CA
Category: American (New)
San Jose, CA
Category: Mexican
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